S-400 missile defence systems to be deployed in N-W Russia

Moscow, Feb 8 (UNI) Russia has announced the deployment of state-of-the-art advanced S-400 anti-aircraft/ anti-missile systems in the north-west region in the near future.

''S-300 systems, currently in service in north-west Russia, will soon be replaced by the new S-400 Triumf (SA-21 Growler) system,'' Leningrad Region Air Force and Air Defence Army commander Lt General Vladimir Sviridov told RIA Novosti news agency.

The S-400 is designed to intercept and destroy airborne targets at a distance of up to 400 kilometres, twice the range of the US MIM-104 Patriot and 2.5 times that of the S-300PMU-2.

The S-400 Triumf is to form the core of Russia's theatre air and missile defences through 2020, or even 2025.

Russia had earlier said that it would deploy a second S-400 regiment at the end of 2008.

The first S-400 battalion to be deployed was put into service last year to protect airspace around Moscow and industrial zones in central Russia.

The system is capable of effectively engaging stealth aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, with a range of up to 3,500 kilometres and a speed of up to 4.8 kilometres per second.

The Russian Air Force Special Command currently provides air defence for 140 strategic sites in 13 regions of central Russia, including administrative, industrial, and transportation facilities, as well as nuclear power stations.